Democrats believe we must create jobs, not protect the special interests; build the economy from the middle out, not the top down.

I'm always touched when I go to events and stuff, to meet fathers who come up to me and thank me and say, "because of you my young daughter knows that she can do anything she sets out to do." And the way young girls are raised now, I don't think there's any doubt that they know they can do anything. And if what goes by the by is that they don't feel they have to be in solidarity with all other women, that's O.K. as long as they know that that strength has been there in the past and can be there in the future for them.

My evaluation of President George W. Bush is nothing personal. He's a lovely person. Sadly, I believe he will be remembered for taking us into war unnecessarily at the cost of thousands of American lives, injuries to tens of thousands of our troops, and trillions of dollars to our economy - enormous costs to our reputation, and undermining the capability of our military to protect us. That, I think, will be the overwhelming issue for which his presidency will be remembered: extensive damage to our country.

The good news is that we really do think that ... on the immigration issue, that we will, before summer, have comprehensive immigration reform.

Even if Osama bin Laden is caught tomorrow, it is five years too late. To capture him now I don't think makes us any safer.

In this House, we may belong to different parties, but we serve one country.

I was raised in an Italian catholic family in Baltimore, Maryland. Our faith is very important to us, our patriotism, love of faith, love of family, love of country. I took pride in our Italian American heritage and to be the first woman speaker of the House and the first Italian American speaker of the House, it's quite thrilling for me.